Here you can keep up with the latest from Reading’s 1000+ voluntary organisations and other voluntary sector news from around the area.
Volunteers’ Week (1 – 7 June 2026) has arrived! – A huge thank you to all of Reading’s amazing volunteers
31 May 2026
Volunteers’ Week is an annual UK-wide campaign held from the first Monday in June to celebrate and recognise the contributions of volunteers. Across the country, volunteers play a vital role at the very heart of the community, and Reading is no exception. The town benefits from thousands of volunteers who freely give their time, talents and ...
Small Groups’ Forum July 2026 – Find the right volunteers, new BCF small grants, and more
21 May 2026Are you a small or new community group or charity? Would you like top tips on running a group, finding funding and the opportunity to network with other small groups? Join us for our next Small Groups’ Forum in May. We run three forums per year and the topics are chosen by small groups like yours. Theme ...
Volunteers’ Week 2026 is coming! Let us know your plans and share your celebrations
19 May 2026
Volunteers’ Week is an annual UK-wide campaign held from the first Monday in June to celebrate and recognise the contributions of volunteers. This year’s celebrations will run from Monday, 1st June to Sunday, 7th June. RVA will be promoting the diverse range of opportunities available in the town throughout the week. What plans do you have to ...
Queen Victoria Fund Reading (QVFR) – deadline 29 June 2026
19 May 2026
The Queen Victoria Fund Reading (QVFR) has opened applications for its second round of funding for 2026 QVFR provides funds for public health initiatives that help combat health inequity. Organisations working within communities and neighbourhoods in the Reading Borough and Earley Town Council areas are eligible for funds to support their work. This might include perinatal inequalities, ...
Reading VCS Leaders – online
16 May 2026Reading Voluntary Sector Leaders Forum The Reading VCS Leaders Forum is for anyone in a leadership role within the Reading voluntary sector and committed to working collaboratively to support the development of a thriving voluntary sector. Please register to receive the meeting link, agenda and papers: Register on Eventbrite
Working Together to Keep Our Communities Safe
14 May 2026The event is being jointly hosted by Reading Borough Council, Reading Voluntary Action, ACRE and Thames Valley Police to bring together community leaders and representatives and hold collaborative conversations on the following themes: Strengthening community safety, cohesion and resilience Building trust and two-way communication between the community, local authority and police, including responses to incidents which impact the ...
Email scam warning – RVA ‘Distribution / Members’ list
6 May 2026Reading Voluntary Action is aware some people and organisations have recently received an email from one of a variety of @gmail.com email addresses containing an offer to sell a mailing list of RVA contacts. We would advise recipients to treat this email as a scam purporting to ‘sell’ the email addresses published with permission on the ...
Reading Children’s Festival 2026 – Volunteers Needed Saturday 9 May 2026, 11am-4pm
28 April 2026
We are looking for a team of volunteer stewards to support the Reading Borough Council Events Team to help welcome visitors and manage the visitor flow at this year’s Forbury Fiesta – a launch event for Reading Children’s Festival 2026. You may be assigned to a particular activity such as a workshop, or to a ...
Free Workshop – Navigating Bereavement
28 April 2026
Tuesday 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th May, 1:30pm – 3 pm Online: hosted on Zoom This workshop with Olga Zilberberg offers a comprehensive and compassionate four-week journey designed to help individuals navigate the complex landscape of loss. Each 90-minute session blends supportive frameworks to explore loss and provide participants with a versatile toolkit for understanding their unique grieving process. Sign ...
The Local Election Thursday 7 May – Important Deadlines and a list of accepted forms of photographic identification for voting
20 April 2026
The Local Election will be held on Thursday 7 May, but there are some other important dates you must know about too. Also, please refer to the attached image below for a list of accepted forms of photographic identification for voting. For more information and the full list of acceptable forms visit: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voterID Register to vote by Midnight ...
PACT’s Marathon in May Challenge
16 April 2026
Can you complete a marathon in a month? Marathon in May is a challenge anyone can do. The aim is to clock up the miles over the 31 days of May. Run, walk, hike, cycle, wheel, with children, with your dog, with friends or on your own; it’s your challenge, your way! Go as fast or ...
ONLINE Reading VCS Leaders
10 April 2026
Reading Voluntary Sector Leaders Forum The Reading VCS Leaders Forum is for anyone in a leadership role within the Reading voluntary sector and committed to working collaboratively to support the development of a thriving voluntary sector. The Agenda will include: Review of VCS representation on strategic Boards and Partnerships including opportunities to ensure the views of your organisation ...
The Rising Sun – Hub in our Pub – Free Space available for Community Groups on a Monday
1 April 2026
Mondays are about community, warmth, and belonging. This is the day our pub becomes a genuine local hub, not just a place to eat or drink. The Rising Sun is offering the pub space free of charge for any community-driven projects, charity events or groups (PTA, clubs, community meetings) Contact our Deputy Manager, David, to let us know ...
Safeguarding Adults Training for charities and groups -May 2026
31 March 2026
Does your charity offer services or activities to adults in Reading? If so, come along to this free training. (Please note we have a separate Safeguarding Children training session, see our training page). All charities, voluntary and community groups have a duty to keep their service users safe from harm. As most charities and community groups ...
Safeguarding Children Training for charities and groups – June 2026
31 March 2026Does your charity offer services or activities to children or young people in Reading? If so, come along to this free training. All charities, voluntary and community groups have a duty to keep their service users safe from harm. As most charities and community groups run through the hard work and dedication of volunteers, it is ...
BBC Children In Need, project funding and core funding – rolling funding
31 March 2026
Introduction – overview of the funding BBC Children in Need funds vital support for children and young people struggling with challenges caused by mental health, poverty, social inequity and family-related issues. Their ambition is that every child and young person should have the chance to thrive and be the best they can be. Through their grant-funding, they ...
Furniture available from Reading Central Library
26 March 2026
Reading Central Library is moving into the Civic Offices this summer and looking to re-home the furniture from the current site. Details of what is available can be found here, along with photos here. You will need to arrange your own transport to collect the items. For more information please contact susan.jones2@reading.gov.uk
Fundraising Network July 2026
26 March 2026A network for those who are responsible for fundraising within Reading’s charities RVA is launching a new Fundraising Network for those who volunteer or work in charities or voluntary groups delivering services in Reading. This is off the back of our VCS Survey 2024/2025 and related Fundraising Focus Group session where many of you said you would ...
Bite-size Volunteer Management – “Keeping it Legal” – July 2026
26 March 2026Do you manage volunteers in your role in one of Reading’s diverse voluntary and community sector organisations? You may be a volunteer yourself, or a paid member of staff, or even a volunteer Trustee/Committee member. RVA is running bitesize training for those who manage volunteers. These sessions are designed to give you an introduction/ refresher into ...
POSTPONED TO 1 JULY: Small Groups’ Forum May 2026 – Find the right volunteers, funding and more
26 March 2026UDATE: This event has been postponed to 1 July. A new booking link will appear soon. Contact training@rva.org.uk for more information in the meantime if you have any questions. Are you a small or new community group or charity? Would you like top tips on running a group, finding funding and the opportunity to network with ...